Sir,
The ongoing efforts by the alumni of Maharaja Government Junior College to restore the historic campus highlight a deeper concern: How did an institution with such an unparalleled legacy fall into this state of neglect in the first place?
This is not merely a school building. Its origins date back to 1833, when Maharaja Mummadi Krishnaraja Wadiyar established the Raja Free School to provide education to poor children — a remarkably visionary initiative for its time.
The present-day Maharaja High School and Maharaja Pre-University College stand as direct continuations of this historic institution, carrying forward nearly 192 years of educational and cultural heritage.
Over the decades, this institution has produced some of India’s finest minds: R.K. Narayan, R.K. Laxman, M.S. Sathyu, K.V. Murthy, D. Devaraj Urs, Vedanta Hemmige, Agaram Rangaiah, Chaduranga, T.S. Satyan and many others who have shaped literature, governance, art, cinema and public service. Very few institutions in Karnataka enjoy such a distinguished legacy.
It is deeply disappointing that the campus has slipped into its current state of disrepair.
What makes the situation more concerning is that the school administration failed, over many years, to draw the Government’s attention to the deteriorating buildings. For an institution of this stature to be allowed to decline reflects a serious lapse in oversight.
While the recent initiative by the alumni is admirable and encouraging, heritage conservation cannot depend indefinitely on goodwill.
A legacy of this magnitude demands structured support, urgent funding, defined restoration timelines and strict accountability. Simply celebrating Mysuru’s heritage means little if we cannot protect the very institutions that shaped it.
Restoring Maharaja Government Junior College is not merely about repairing a structure; it is about safeguarding the environment that nurtured generations of leaders, thinkers and artists.
When we neglect institutions that have shaped our society, we risk losing both our past and the future they are meant to inspire. What this heritage institution needs today is not promises, but prompt, decisive action from the State.
– Abhishek Raj, A concerned alumnus, Mysuru, 22.11.2025
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This post was published on December 1, 2025 5:55 pm